2016 Annual Report Celebrating Seven Years of Investigative Journalism in Vermont 3,251 ARTICLES 48,030 COMMENTS 10,144,677 PAGE VIEWS 157,553 MONTHLY READERS Vermont’s Online Nonprofit News Daily WHO WE ARE VTDigger is a nonprofit online news daily dedicated to public service journalism. We cover Vermont politics, consumer affairs, business, education, energy, criminal justice and the environment. We also cover community government in four counties and Vermont’s congressional delegation in Washington, DC. VTDigger was founded in 2009 and merged with the Vermont Journalism Trust in 2011, becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The mission of the Vermont Journalism Trust and VTDigger is to produce rigorous journalism that explains complex issues, holds the government accountable to the public, and engages Vermonters in the democratic process. 2016 Board of Directors 2016 Staff and Interns Kevin Ellis, East Montpelier Executive Director & Editor: Anne Galloway Anne Galloway, East Hardwick Publisher: Diane Zeigler Lauren Geiger, Plainfield Associate Publisher: Phayvanh Luekhamhan Don Hooper, Brookfield Director of Underwriting: Theresa Murray-Clasen Tom Johnson, Poultney News Editor: Ruth Hare Curtis Ingham Koren, Brookfield Senior Editor and Reporter: Mark Johnson Crea Lintilhac, Shelburne Copy Editor: Cate Chant Neale Lunderville, Burlington Reporters: Jasper Craven, Mike Faher, Adam Bill Mares, Burlington Federman, Elizabeth Hewitt, Alan J. Keays, Erin David Mindich, Burlington Mansfield, Tiffany Danitz Pache, Mike Polhamus, Carol Ode, Burlington Jim Therrien, Morgan True Carin Pratt, Strafford Interns: Cory Dawson, Liora Engel-Smith, Laura John Reilly, Southborough, MA Greshin, Kelsey Neubauer, Sarah Olsen, Phoebe Mathew Rubin, Montpelier Sheehan, Kayla Woodman Kathryn Stearns, Hanover, NH Volunteers: Mary Alice Bisbee, Lars Hasselblad Torres, Montpelier Madeline Murray-Clasen 2016 Media Partners Addison Independent The Commons News Valley News Bennington Banner Manchester Journal Waterbury Record Berkshire Eagle Mountain Times WDEV Radio Brattleboro Reformer St. Albans Messenger Williston Observer Stowe Reporter FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR VTDigger: News in Pursuit of Truth Until we wrote about it, the public didn’t know. In 2016, VTDigger broke stories We also expanded our reporting about EB-5 fraud at Jay Peak, the to communities where original state’s failure to rein in Medicaid reporting is disappearing. We costs and a controversial storage launched a Southern Vermont method for tritium-laced water at bureau to ensure that key issues Vermont Yankee. were thoroughly covered, such as the decommissioning of Vermont When we published stories about Yankee, the state’s only nuclear each of these topics, state officials power plant, and the placement of Anne Galloway were seeing the information for the Syrian refugees in Rutland County. Executive Director & Editor first time. During the 2016 election, we That’s because shining a light created a complete guide to all in dark corners is our mission at of the candidates for House, READER SURVEY VTDigger. We go beyond the echo Senate and statewide office, 55% chamber style reporting that has and we updated our campaign IDENTIFY AS NEITHER become all too common at other finance database, which included DEMOCRAT NOR REPUBLICAN news outlets. We seek public contributions from individuals, 57% records, attend public hearings, political action committees, DON’T SUBSCRIBE TO A PRINT analyze data and investigate issues businesses and political parties NEWSPAPER because as journalists we believe from 2009 to the present. 50% passionately in the public’s right to LIVE OUTSIDE VERMONT know. Without your help, none of this 86% important work, which is so crucial HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE Transparency isn’t a buzzword at to a functioning democracy, would VTDigger; it’s the principle that is have been possible. We are grateful the very foundation of our work. We to the readers, underwriters 97% report without fear or favor because and foundations that have kept it’s our job to hold public officials VTDigger’s reporting strong. READERS VOTE IN accountable. EVERY ELECTION We appreciate your support more While other news outlets ignored now than ever. the story, we reported on allegations of fraud at Jay Peak two years before the SEC brought 52 counts of securities fraud against the developers in April 2016. 26 State Street Montpelier, VT 05602 802.225.6224 VTDigger.org 3 VERMONT JOURNALISM TRUST, LTD. January 1, 2016-December 31, 2016 Statement of Financial Position for the years ended December 31, 2016 (Audited) and 2015 (Reviewed) 2016 2015 ASSETS Current Assets $ 1,002,199 $ 396,540 Fixed Assets 6,453 8,047 Other Assets 549,725 1,500 TOTAL ASSETS $ 1,558,377 $ 406,087 LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS Current Liabilities $ 65,798 $ 46,879 Net Assets 1,492,579 359,208 TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS $ 1,558,377 $ 406,087 Statement of Activities for the years ended December 31, 2016 (Audited) and 2015 (Reviewed) 2016 2015 REVENUE AND SUPPORT Grants $ 315,963 $ 101,410 Underwriting 371,624 365,309 Contributions 426,455 338,923 News and other revenue 71,564 56,853 Events 18,000 16,750 Subtotal 1,203,606 879,245 Net assets released from restrictions 85,000 60,501 TOTAL INCOME $ 1,288,606 $ 939,746 EXPENSES Program expenses $ 840,277 $ 601,985 General and administrative 28,524 42,406 Fundraising expenses 166,034 179,002 TOTAL EXPENSES $ 1,034,835 $ 823,393 This financial summary is excerpted from VTDigger’s audited financial statements. 26 State Street Montpelier, VT 05602 4 VTDigger.org 802.225.6224 DONOR HIGHLIGHTS 26% GROWTH IN DONATIONS 37% GROWTH IN REVENUE 2,659 DONORS 73% SAY THEY READ VTDIGGER EVERY DAY Grants 31% Program Expenses 81% Underwriting 29% General Administration 3% Contributions 33% Fundraising 16% News Revenue 6% Events 1% 2016 REVENUE SOURCES 2016 EXPENSES 26 State Street Montpelier, VT 05602 802.225.6224 VTDigger.org 5 VTDigger investigates state’s largest fraud VTDigger’s multi-year investigation into allegations of fraud way. Three of the projects were at Jay Peak Resort took a sharp turn in April 2016 when the not completed, leaving the Securities and Exchange Commission and the state of Vermont immigration status of about 400 charged the developers, Ariel Quiros and Bill Stenger, with investors in limbo. running a Ponzi-like scheme. Despite heavy criticism from The two developers face 52 counts of securities fraud and the developers and state have been accused of misusing $200 million in immigrant officials who were charged with investor funds. overseeing the developments, VTDigger published stories that showed how Stenger and The civil complaints affirmed VTDigger’s investigations in Quiros had abused investors -- nearly two years before the 2014 and 2015. The largest EB-5 related fraud in history was SEC brought charges happening in our own backyard. Since the federal lawsuit was filed last year, we have exposed The EB-5 visa program issues green cards to foreigners who crucial facets of the alleged fraud that have not yet been invest $500,000 or more in U.S. businesses. Each investment explored by federal regulators. must create at least 10 full-time jobs in order for immigrant investors to obtain permanent residency in the United States. • We detailed how the developers sold the same floor Quiros and Stenger leveraged more than $400 million in of a hotel to two separate sets of investors. EB-5 immigrant investor funds for expansions at two resorts and a promised biomedical plant. All of the properties are • In South Korea we found that a business associate now in receivership, and Quiros is fighting the SEC in court. of Quiros’ had bilked foreign investors in a stem cell His partner and the CEO of Jay Peak, Stenger, has settled research and artificial organ manufacturing facility. with federal regulators. A criminal investigation is under Quiros then brought the scam to Vermont. 6 VTDigger.org Exclusive award-winning reporting • We reported that state officials charged with overseeing Even as the civil charges the projects through the Vermont EB-5 Regional Center were filed and other media program were warned about financial improprieties at outlets seized on the Jay Peak. A former business partner tipped off state breaking news events, officials about the scheme in May 2012 - four years VTDigger stood apart as before the SEC brought charges. State officials ignored the only outlet willing to his warning, and told him he could no longer do delve deep into the money business in the state. trail, wherever it led, and to hold government accountable to the point The extent of the role of state officials in the fraud is unknown of suing the Vermont because the Vermont Attorney General’s office has repeatedly Attorney General’s office. blocked records requests from VTDigger regarding the state’s complicity in the fraud. At one point, state officials said they National news media including the New York Times, Bloomberg would charge us $200,000 for EB-5 records. Later, we were Businessweek, PBS Newshour and the Boston Globe have told that even if we could muster that exhorbitant sum, the reported on Vermont’s EB-5 scandal, citing VTDigger’s work. documents would be withheld under an exemption in the state’s public records law. VTDigger was a finalist for several For two years, VTDigger stood alone in its investigation of national awards for the coverage of fraud allegations made by EB-5 investors. Other news outlets the fraud at Jay Peak ignored the story altogether or largely published articles that Ancil Payne Award for Ethics in Journalism, promoted the impact of the Jay Peak Resort expansion on the Investigative Reporters & Editors FOIA Award, local economy of the Northeast Kingdom, Vermont’s poorest The Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative region. Journalism Award, Online News Association VTDigger.org 7 Southern Vermont Bureau Newspapers in Southern Vermont laid off a dozen reporters and editors in the region in 2015 and 2016.